


Late

by shamelesswonder



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: College, Developing Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 01:30:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21401950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shamelesswonder/pseuds/shamelesswonder
Summary: The usual early morning calm of their room was disrupted by the frantic energy of a student who’d overslept his alarm. If you asked Link, he’d say it was Rhett’s fault.
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Comments: 6
Kudos: 38





	Late

**Author's Note:**

> Don't you just love how creative my title is!
> 
> A silly/fluffy thing, no meaningful plot to speak of, just trying to get some words flowing. Hope someone likes it?

The usual early morning calm of their room was disrupted by the frantic energy of a student who’d overslept his alarm. If you asked Link, he’d say it was Rhett’s fault. The two of them had been talking long into the night, now made easier by the fact that they often slept in the same bed. They reminisced about their past and created theories about the future, both theirs (_"When we finish school, let's finally shoot that film, yeah?"_ ) and the world's (_"I swear man, we're gonna merge with the robots, I bet it's already happening"_ ). Rhett kept Link laughing late into the night, conversation flowing easily between them until Link's eyelids began to droop. He couldn't help it. Wrapped up in a warmth he’d come to associate with his best friend, using his soothing tones and steady heartbeat as his guide, he seamlessly drifted off to sleep. 

The ringing of his alarm registered distantly as he moved in and out of consciousness, never quite clawing his way to the surface. On its third ring, his bleary eyes opened to see the time blinking back at him and he realized it was nearly an hour later than he’d expected. The resulting shock was enough to shake off the remaining layers of sleep as he bolted up in bed — well, as he tried to bolt up in bed, hindered slightly by the man clinging to him. 

“Let me up, we’re gonna be late for class,” Link mumbled, not quite wanting to jolt Rhett out of his sleepy state but still very much needing him to move.

Rhett grunted his acknowledgement, seemingly unbothered. With a bit of struggle, Link was able to extricate himself from the weight of Rhett’s arms, the corners of his mouth turning up he watched them land back on the bed with a soft thud, eliciting a groan in response.

Now up, he shook out his arms and legs and swatted at Rhett’s thigh as he made his way to the dresser. “Seriously dude, that’s the last time I’m sleeping with you if you’re gonna be like that—”

The phrasing seemed to have caught Rhett’s attention. 

"_Sleep_ with me huh?” he teased, voice still low and rough with sleep, eyebrows angling upwards suggestively.

It wasn’t visible in the dim lighting but they both knew Link was blushing as he shoved at him and went to get dressed. Their sleeping arrangement — _just_ sleeping — was rather new. They’d discussed it, but usually under cover of night, when declarations of affection felt easier to utter yet were somehow also imbued with more meaning. Link insisted that they take things slow, glacially so. Slow meant ease and comfort, it meant the ability to turn back before things were damaged beyond repair. Solid as their friendship was, this other thing, this budding relationship of sorts, felt to Link as though it had “FRAGILE: Handle With Care” written all over it. Best to be careful.

Which meant, of course, that they hadn’t slept together. _Yet,_ his mind supplied in Rhett's voice and he could almost picture the corresponding eyebrow waggle. He shook his head. Hell, Link could probably count the times they’d so much as kissed on his two hands. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to per say—_God_ did he want to. It's just—he knew it was going to be weird, at least at first. Sure, probably _eventually_ good, great even. But Link liked to live in the present and on most days, present him found himself thinking he'd do just about anything to keep from suffering through the awkwardness of firsts that awaited them. Besides, who was to say that this thing would even last? Going back to being just friends would be a hell of a lot harder once sex entered the equation.

_But if I want to, I really should try at some point_, he thought as he pulled on his sweatshirt. _Can’t put it off forever._

— 

Link had always held out that his morning routine and meticulous organizing was useful — no, _essential_ — and on days like today he felt vindicated. With everything in its proper place he was able to simply cycle through the motions, albeit at twice his usual pace, glancing every so often at Rhett who was not so sneakily watching him. Even as Link faced the opposite direction as he put on his jeans, Rhett’s gaze was all consuming. It made him tingle just beneath his skin, a strange kind of heat that almost made him shiver. He couldn’t help but be embarrassed at being eyed in such a way, let alone by his best friend. There was also something else mixed in though, a swoop in his gut that was — was that excitement?

In his distraction he nearly tripped over his own feet as he pulled on the second pant leg, hopping in place to stay steady and elbowing a cup of pencils as he did so, sending them clattering to the floor. _Get it together_, Link thought, _he can’t keep making you feel like some bashful schoolgirl. Today is the day you do something about it._ Frustrated, he rummaged through Rhett’s drawer and tossed a t-shirt at him — hard.

“Hey!” Rhett protested as he sat up, rubbing at his eyes.

“Quit checking me out and get dressed man, if you’re not ready in five minutes I’m leaving without you,” Link said, shoving the fallen pencils and a nearby notebook roughly into his bag. 

“‘M not goin’,” sighed Rhett as he flopped back onto the bed.

Link rolled his eyes but he’d anticipated it. Judging by the time it would take them to get ready, they’d probably have to skip breakfast and that just wasn’t going to fly with Rhett. “If you start making a habit of it—”

“S’not a 'habit'" he said, tossing the shirt back at Link, "Just let me have this one day, mom.” He finally sat up properly, planting his feet firmly on the floor and rubbing at his chest as he stretched.

“I’m not getting the notes for you,” Link said, unconvincing even to himself. Rhett nodded soberly but he knew as well as Link that when the time came, Link would offer them up.

Fully dressed with his bag packed, Link bent down to put on his shoes, hair falling over his face as he did so. It stuck up in fluffy tufts along the right side of his head from how he’d slept.

As he straightened up and reached for the doorknob, Link noticed Rhett get up and grab at a glint of silver on the desk that he recognized as his keys, quickly covering them with his fist as he took a seat. 

Rhett looked up at him from the chair and asked innocently, “You forgetting something?”

Link had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. _Does he think I’m stupid?_ He was about to say as much before another option dawned on him. _Be brave Neal._

“Nope,” said Link, feigning ignorance as he patted his pockets and quickly scanned the room, making a show of confirming that he did indeed have all he needed before making to leave once again. Link watched as Rhett’s face fell, his trick having failed. He waited a half-second before turning on his heel and, as though he’d just remembered, exclaimed, “Oh wait—”

Rhett's head snapped up as Link walked back in and headed directly for the desk, Rhett extending his hand ready to hand him his keys. Link took his outstretched hand in his, not to take his keys but to interlace their fingers as he leaned in for a kiss. 

In many ways, it was just like all their previous kisses. Link still felt that same underlying buzz, still felt his mind rushing to catalogue the myriad of senses flooding his system. Rough—Rhett's calloused thumb brushing the back of his hand; sweet—remnants of the coke they'd shared last night; earth—a deep-seated musky smell all his own, thunder—of blood rushing in his ears, of his heart as it hammered in his chest. They were standing so close he could barely see a thing but he knew beneath his own were pale pink lips, the same that curved teasingly around jokes, that parted around the laugh that had been the soundtrack to so many of his childhood memories. Touch, taste, scent, sound and sight. These were the things that stayed the same.

There were other things however, which were new. For one it was brief, almost casual, but a briefness that suggested not indifference but rather familiarity, a domesticity of sorts. The thought of it tugged at his heart, pulling him all too easily into a world in which it was slipped between a _"Honey, I’m home"_, a _"See you later, babe”_. Solid and reassuring, a promise that they would outlast the ebbs and flows of any youthful fling. It settled heavy in his stomach, but it was much less an unwelcome weight than it was the sturdy anchor he'd been searching for. If you asked him later on when he knew he was ready, he'd say this was it, silly and fleeting though it was. 

These thoughts were swirling rapidly as Link pulled away to study Rhett’s reaction. He struggled to remain neutral but the darting of his eyes and chewing of his lip gave him away.

The long silence didn’t sit well with Link and he forced himself to look Rhett in the eye as he choked out, “Good?”

Rhett seemed stunned, scratching at his chin and rubbing absentmindedly at his lips, skin tinged a pretty pink as he fumbled to give Link his keys. 

“I—Your keys. That’s what I meant. You forgot your keys.”

Link’s eyes gleamed mischievously as he took in just how much he’d thrown Rhett with that simple gesture. He knew it — Rhett was full of shit. Talking a big game about "sleeping together" when a chaste kiss rendered him speechless. 

“_Now_, can I go?” Link said, positively beaming as he pulled Rhett to the door with him, still hand in hand.

Something must’ve shook Rhett out his stupor because next thing he knew their faces were inches apart again, Rhett’s hand cupping Link’s cheek and stroking along the stubble there with his thumb. 

“Not yet,” Rhett said, his other hand coming up to card through his hair as he brought their faces even closer. “You forgot something,” he murmured, drawing Link into another kiss, this one deeper than the first.

As they parted for the second time Link felt lighter than he had in ages, hair now thoroughly a mess but heart more at ease than it had ever been. He took in Rhett’s similarly disheveled appearance, smile bright and eyes brighter. _I did that_, he thought proudly.

Despite the nonchalant demeanour he was going for, he felt himself break into a wide smile, “As much as I loved seeing you go all dopey from a single freaking kiss,” that earned him an elbowing from Rhett, “I seriously gotta go now dude.”

“I know,” said Rhett.

“You know, if this becomes a thing,” Link said, hand gesturing vaguely to imply the whole goodbye-kiss arrangement, “You’re gonna make me late for class all the time.”

“You’re acting like it’s my fault when you’re the one who started it!” said Rhett, exasperated. Paying him no mind, Link gave him a third peck for good luck and finally left. He was only about halfway down the hall when he heard Rhett call after him, “And don’t forget the notes!”

Laughing as he picked up the pace, Link turned and gave him the finger before disappearing down the stairwell, shouting back, “We’ll see about that, brother.”

He was left grinning to himself as he made his way down the empty staircase before realizing Rhett still had his keys. Crap.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! ❤️


End file.
